Continuous unitary perforated tissue strip and method of making same



Jan. 20, 1970 J, s. GLAss ETAL 3,490,645

CONTINUOUS UNITARY PERFORATED TISSUE STRIP AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13, 1968 INVENTORS JA/ves Swwf Gauss JAMES@fee/#MACDONALD Jan. 20, 1970 J. s. G-LAss Erm. 3,490,645

CONTINUOUS UNITARY PERFORATED TISSUE STRIP AND METHOD OF MAKING SAMEFiled June 13, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I N VEN T ORS @Mss Sn/Aer GcAS'Sdana-s GWW/Zacofmw By Maw/7. Nassasw/v gws United States aten 3,490,645CONTINUOUS UNITARY PERFORATED TISSUE STRIP AND METHOD OF MAKING SAMEJames Stuart Glass, Beaconfield, Quebec, Canada, James Grant Macdonald,Cos Cob, Conn., and Harry M. Nussbaum, New York, and Chester A. Zurek,Utica, N.Y.,

assignors to Concel, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New YorkFiled .lune 13, 1968, Ser. No. 736,764 Int. Cl. B65l1 1/04; B26f 3/ 00U.S. Cl. 221-48 21 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A continuousunitary tissue strip folded as described and having its length dimensiongreater than its Width dimension wherein the strip has perforationsessentially across its width dimension; contains transverse foldsessentially across its Width dimension in sequential alternatedirections and uniformly separated from one another; and containslongitudinal folds substantially along its length dimension.

This invention relates to paper tissues and methods for making them.More particularly the invention relates to continuous strips of foldedpaper tissue containing perforations therein as more particularlyhereinafter described.

So-called pop-up tissues are Widely used today in both the home and incommercial establishments. Such tissues are generally packaged incardboard storage boxes which also are conveniently adapted to be usedas the dispenser of the tissues. The acceptability of pop-up tissues isto a great extent due to the ease with which it is removed from thestorage box, i.e. by pulling one tissue segment from the box, aboutone-half of the next tissue is also pulled out of the box. This half oftissue segment is popped-out of the box and may readily be pulled out ofthe box thereby bringing about one-half of the next tissue segment withit. In making pop-up tissues it has been common practice to interleaveseparate tissue segments in alternate sequence in order to provide thepopup result. This is an expensive and cumbersome operation. Themachinery for making such interleaved tissue segments is comprisedessentially of a plurality of Wound tissue rolls which are fed intoknown interleaving devices whereupon the tissue is cut to size withcutting blades. A parent roll of tissue paper-initially about 2-5 feetin diameter-is required for each tissue segment in the storage box.Therefore, for example, in a storage box containing 200 double plytissue segments, at least 200 rolls of .double ply tissue paper arerequired. These rolls are carried on backstands which can be 150 feetlong or more. The web from each roll is unwound and folded once alongits length. The folds are made on alternate sides of the machine fromroll to roll. Each web is then interleaved with the two adjoining websand the whole is laid with previous webs similarly interleaved to form arope which is carried upon a feeder belt. At its discharge end the belthas 200 separate webs of tissue paper upon it. The rope is then passedinto the cutter section of the machine Where one or more oscillatingrotating disc knives cut the rope into segments, each segment being thelength of a single tissue. The piles of tissue segments are thenpackaged into folding storage boxes and put into commerce. Thesignificant problems associated with the size of the plant are apparent.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an efficient and economicpop-up tissue product. The tissue is produced and packaged on relativelysimple equipment thereby eliminating the cumbersome equipment of theprior art. The tissue is easily dispensed iirom the storage box andseparated into tissue segments. As each segment is separated from thetissue strip, the next tissue segment of the tissue strip is in thepop-up orientation and is ready for removal from the storage box.

Briefly, the present invention comprises a continuous unitary tissuestrip which is folded across its Width dimension, each such fold beingin the alternate direction thereby providing a zig-zag configuration.These folds are hereinafter referred to as transverse folds. The tissuestrip also contains perforations across its Width dimension. Theseperforations are hereinafter referred to as transverse perforations. Asan impotant feature of this invention, the tissue strip is alsocontinuously folded along its longitudinal dimension. These folds arehereinafter referred to as longitudinal folds and it is understood thatthe longitudinal folds may be folded over or under the tissue strip in aC-fold configuration, or alternatively, the longitudinal folds may beover and under the tissue strip, respectively in a Z-fold configuration.Generally, the longitudinal folds may be described as C-folds or Z-foldsin the longitudinal direction when taken in transverse section. In thepreferred embodiment of this invention, the longitudinal folds are madeso that the longitudinal edges of the tissue strip terminate at a pointintermediate the Width of the tissue strip. In other words, the flapswhich are longitudinally folded over onto the tissue mid-portion extendto about the center of the tissue mid-portion. This configuration offolds and perforations provides a continuous tissue strip which may beremoved and separated as tissue segments from a storage box. Removal andseparation of the tissue strip into tissue segments is accomplished =bypulling the tissue strip out of the storage box through an openingtherein. When the tissue strip is pulled out of the storage box up tothe transverse perforation in the tissue strip, tissue segments areseparated from the tissue strip at that transverse perforation bytearing it thereacross. As will be hereinafter more clearly described inconnection with the drawings, an important feature of this invention isthat at least one free corner of the tissue strip is available throughthe opening of the storage box, By means of the free corner, the tissuestrip may be held and pulled from the storage box and the tissue segmentdetached therefrom.

In order to more fully describe the invention, reference is now made tothe accompanying drawings which describe certain exemplary embodimentsthereof.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective sketch of a storage box containing Z-foldedtissues.

. FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the box and tissues along line 2-2 ofFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective sketch of a Z-folded tissue strip without thestorage box.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the tissue strip along line 4-4 ofFIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the tissue strip along line 5 5 ofFIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective sketch of a tissue segment after beingdetached from the tissue strip.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective sketch of a smaller storage box containingZ-folded tissues.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of the box and tissues along line `8 8 ofFIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective sketch of a Z-folded tissue strip without thestorage box.

FIGURE 10 is another embodiment of the invention similar to that shownin FIGURE 7 except that the tissue is C-folded.

FIGURE 1l is a perspective sketch of a C-folded tissue strip without thestorage box.

FIGURE 12 is a perspective sketch of a smaller storage box containingZ-folded tissues. This embodiment is descriptive of a double tissuesystem.

FIGURE 13 is a sectional view of the box and double tissues along line13-=13 of FIGURE l2.

FIGURE 14 is a perspective sketch of Z-folded double tissue stripswithout the storage box.

FIGURE 15 is a perspective sketch of the double tissue system showingone tissue segment detached from the issue strip and the remainingdouble tissue strips.

In accordance with the invention, continuous tissue ;trips similar tothat best shown in FIGURES 3, 9, 11 1nd 14 are made on paper foldingmachines which are Nell known in the art. For example, tissue strippingma- :erial which is about 8 inches wide on a roll, is continu- )uslyunwound and longitudinally folded along its lengthzvise dimensi-on bywell known means, such as for exam- Jle by means of a guide plate. Thelongitudinally folded ,issue strip is then passed through a perforatordevice, vhere the tissue strip is transversely perforated atpreletermined length. Perforating is well known in the art. Fhelongitudinally folded and perforated tissue strips are .hen passedthrough machinery which transversely folds he tissue strip inalternating opposite directions. The tisiue strip now resembles acontinuous and stacked series )f layers of material folded in a zig-zagconfiguration, or example, as shown in FIGURES 2, 8 and 13 (without hestorage box). Such transverse folding machinery is vell known in theart, and may comprise, for example, a )air of rotatably movable plateswhich alternatively transfersely fold the tissue strip as it is movedthrough it. The ransverse folds are at substantially uniform distances`rom each other thereby providing a continuous tissue trip productsimilar to that shown in the figures referred o. In a preferred system,the tissue strip is two-ply in )rder to provide additional strength andabsorbency when lsed.

The invention relates particularly to the longitudinal 'olds andtransverse folds in combination with the locaion of the transverseperforation in the tissue strips and t will be described in connectiontherewith. Referring row to the drawings, one embodiment of the tissueof this nvention is shown in FIGURES l-6 and can be seen to tdvantage inFIGURE 3. Although all of the drawings `how a one-ply tissue strip, itis understood that the tissue trip may likewise comprise two ormultiple-ply tissue trips. In this embodiment tissue strip 2 is shown asa tontinuous length of tissue paper in a longitudinal Z-fold:onfiguration as described. Longitudinal folds 8 in tissue trip 2 dividethe tissue strip into tissue mid-portion 21 .nd upper flap 10A and lowerflap 10B. Transverse folds i in tissue strip 2 are in alternativedirections thereby )roviding a tissue strip having a zig-zagconfiguration hown in the drawings. Perforations 7 are shown at aboutnid-way between transverse folds 6 and extend through he entire tissuestrip layer. Longitudinal edges of upper .nd lower flaps A and 10B oftissue strip 2 extend t0 tbout mid-way between longitudinal :folds 8.Perforated `dge 3 is formed by tearing a tissue segment 22 from issuestrip 2. Free corner 9 of upper and lower flaps 10A ynd 10B are shown inabout the center of tissue strip 2 n tissue mid-portion 21.

FIGURE 1 shows tissue strip 2 of the embodiment of iIGURE 3 in storagebox 1 having an opening 4. Through opening 4 tissue strip 2 is seen tocomprise upper .nd lower flaps 10A and 10B, tissue mid-portion 21, freeIorner 9, longitudinal edges 5 and perforated edge 3. Tissue strip 2 isconveniently removed from storage box by pulling on free corner 9 formedby longitudinal edge i and transverse perforation edge 3. In order toprovide a issue segment (such as tissue segment 22) tissue strip 2 spulled out of storage box 1 until perforation 7 is eached. At thatpoint, tissue segment 22 is detached rom tissue strip 2 alongperforations 7.

FIGURE 6 shows tissue segment 22 detached from issue strip 2 andcomprises upper and lower fiaps 10A and 10B, tissue mid-portion 21,longitudinal folds 8, transverse fold 6, perforated edges 3 and freecorner 9.

In FIGURE 4 tissue strip 2 is shown in a sectional side view wherein thezig-zag configuration created by transverse folds 6 in sequentialalternate direction are clearly shown.

The Z-fold configuration created by tissue mid-portion 21, and upper andlower flaps 10A and 10B having longitudinal `folds 8 and longitudinaledges 5 is clearly seen in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 2 shows the embodiment of FIGURE 3 in storage box 1. In this viewthere are shown perforations 7, transverse folds 6, transverseperforated edge 3, and enumerated only for illustration but not by wayof limitation, tissue mid-portion 21 and lower flap 10B.

Ano-ther embodiment of this invention is shown in FIGURES 7-9 and canadvantageously be seen in FIG- URE 9. In this embodiment tissue strip 12is a continuous length of tissue palxer in a longitudinal Z-foldconfiguration. The embodiment is similar to that as shown in FIGURE 3,however, perforations 17 are in alternate layers of the folded tissuestripping. In this embodiment a storage box 11 is advantageously usedwherein the lengthwise dimension B of storage box 11 shown in FIG- URES7 and 8 is substantially reduced in relation to the lengthwise dimensionA of storage box 1 shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2. By controlling thetransverse folding operation in conjunction with the transverseperforating operation, the configuration shown in this embodiment iSobtained. Of course, the longitudinal length between transverse folds 16(substantially the B dimension) is reduced relative to correspondinglength shown for the ernbodiment of FIGURES 1-6 (substantially the Adimension). In this embodiment, tissue strip 12 is removed from storagebox 11 by pulling on free corner 19 which is formed by longitudinal edge15 and transverse perforation edge 13. In order to provide a tissuesegment, tissue strip 12 is pulled out of storage box 11 untilperforation 17 is reached. At that point, a tissue segment is detachedfrom tissue strip 12 by tearing the segment from the strip alongperforation 17. It is noted that tissue strip 12 comprises twotransverse folds 16. The alternating layers of tissue which containtransverse perforation 17 are shown in FIGURE 8.

FIGURES 10 and 11 represent still another embodiment of this inventionwhich differ from the embodiment of FIGURES 7-9 by providing a tissuestrip 20 wherein flaps 23A and 23B are folded in the same upward (shown)and downward (shown in a break-away view in FIGURE l1 as it is beneaththe tissue strip) direction. This forms the C-fold configuration whereinboth longitudinal tissue edges 15 are on the same side of tissuemidportion 24. Free corners 19 are substantially adjacent to one anotherand are available for use in removal of the tissue strip from storagebox 11 Shown in FIGURE 10 by means discussed above.

Still another embodiment of this invention is described in FIGURES12-15. In this embodiment a double set of tissue strips 31A and 31B aretransversely interfolded as shown in FIGURE 14. This embodiment providesthe advantage of being able to alternate the color or quality of tissuein the same storage box 11. Transverse perforations 17 are shown ascoextensive with transverse folds 16 and being in alternate foldedlayers of tissue strips 31A and 31B. In other words, as shown in FIGURE13, all of the transverse perforations 17 of tissue strip 31A arecoextensive with transverse folds 16 and are on the left hand side ofthe figure, and all of the transverse perforations 17 of tissue strip31B are coextensive with transverse folds 16 and are on the right handside of the figure. Referring specifically to FIGURES 13 and 14 it isnoted that perforations 17 are located so as to provide a tissue segment25 upon detaching that segment from tissue strip 31A or 31B, and alsoprovides, through opening 14 of storage box 11, approximately one-halfof a tissue segment from the other tissue strip. The one-half tissuesegment is shown generally as numeral 26 in FIGURE 12.

It is noted that in all of the embodiments of this invention which areshown in drawings, the tissue strips contain longitudinal folds whichare coextensive with the lengthwise dimension of the tissue strip. Theselongitudinal folds may be in the same upward or downward direction ormay be in alternate upward and downward direction along either side ofthe tissue strip in the longitudinal direction. In either case, however,it is important that the tissue segment of the tissue strip next in lineprovide a free corner within the open area of the storage box by whichthe tissue strip may be removed from the storage box. The tissue segmentis detached from the tissue strip by tearing along the transverseperforations as those perforations appear and it is preferable that theperforations appear in the storage box opening. It is understood thatthe various forms shown in the embodiment may be substituted for oneanother and that combinations not inconsistent with the presentinvention are intended to be claimed. For example, the tissue strip ofFIGURE 14 may also be a C-fold configuration noting especially that afree corner 19 by which the tissue may be removed from the storage boxis always available.

As to the tissue material itself, it is preferably a soft, pulpynon-Woven paper material which is absorbent to moisture. Such papers arewell known in the art and may comprise thin layers of cellulose waddingpaper. Generally the tissue paper is rolled onto a reel and fedtherefrom directly to the folding and perforation apparatus. Rolls oftissue may be thousands of feet long and in several plies. These tissuerolls are well known in the prior art and do not form any part of thepresent invention.

The storage box is a conventional box, preferably of cardboardconstruction and containing a suitable openings or openable area,generally, in its top surface. Ordinarily, the tissue strip, forexample, the tissue strip shown in FIGURE 9 which has been folded flat,is laid on a flat cardboard cut-out of the storage box. The thickness ofthe tissue strip stack is dependent upon the height of the box in itsconstructed condition. However, a tissue strip sufficient to provideabout 10G-300 double ply tissue segments is advantageously packaged intoa storage box. The upright storage box is then constructed about thetissue strip.

The opening in the storage box may be advantageously made considerablysmaller than the usual storage box opening. This is due to uniqueconfiguration and construction of the tissue strip which permits removalfrom the storage box by merely pulling on one free corner rather thanthe method of the prior art wherein ones entire hand was required to beinserted into the storage box to obtain a tissue segment. The smalleropening also reduces the extent to which the tissue is exposed to theenvironmental surroundings, thereby contributing to the overallcleanliness of the product.

It will be understood that it is intended to cover all changes andmodifications of the drawings of the invention herein chosen for thepurpose of illustration which do not constitute departures from thespirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A continuous unitary tissue strip having its length dimension greaterthan its essentially uniform width dimension and folded as describedwherein said strip:

(l) contains longitudinal folds substantially along its lengthwisedimension;

(2) has essentially equidistant -perforations essentially across itswidth dimension which define individual tissue segments and which arethe lines on which the tissue segments separate from the continuousstrip; and

(3) contains transverse folds essentially across its width dimension insequential alternate directions and uniformly separated from oneanother.

2. The tissue strip of claim 1 containing one essentially longitudinalfold along each of the lengthwise edges of said tissue strip.

3. The tissue strip of claim 1 wherein said transverse perforations areintermediate said transverse folds.

4. The tissue strip of claim 2 wherein the longitudinal edge of saidfolded tissue strip terminates at a point intermediate said longitudinalfolds.

5. The tissue strip of claim 4 wherein said transverse perforations areintermediate said transverse folds.

6. The tissue strip of claim 5 wherein each of said longitudinal foldsis in the same direction.

7. The tissue strip of claim 5 wherein each of said longitudinal foldsis in opposing directions.

8. The tissue strip of claim 4 wherein said transverse perforations areessentially coextensive with said transverse folds.

9. The tissue strip of claim S wherein said transverse perforations arein alternate folded layers of said folded tissue strip.

10. The tissue strip of claim 4 including another tissue strip asdefined in clairn 4 interfolded therewith.

11. An article comprising:

(l) the tissue strip of claim 4 in a,

(2) storage box therefor.

12. An article comprising:

(1) the tissue strips of clairn 10 in a,

(v2) storage box therefor.

13. The method of making the tissue strip of claim 1 comprising thesteps of:

(1) longitudinally folding tissue strip along a lengthwise dimension;

(2) transversely perforating the folded tissue strip at pre-determinedlengths; and

(3) transversely folding the perforated tissue in alternating oppositedirections.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said tissue strip is longitudinallyfolded along each of the lengthwise dimensions of said tissue strip.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said tissue strip is transverselyfolded intermediate said transverse perforations.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said tissue strip is longitudinallyfolded along each of the lengthwise dimensions of said tissue strip upto a point intermediate the longitudinal folds.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said tissue strip is longitudinallyfolded in the same direction along each of the lengthwise dimensions ofsaid tissue strip.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said tissue strip is longitudinallyfolded in opposing directions along each of the lengthwise dimensions ofsaid tissue strip.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein said tissue strip is transverselyfolded essentially coextensive said transverse perforations.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein said tissue strip is longitudinallyfolded in the same direction along each of the lengthwise dimensions ofsaid tissue strip and is transversely perforated in alternate foldedlayers of said folded tissue strip.

21. The method of claim 13 including interfolding another tissue stripwith said tissue strip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,125,847 l/l915 Humphrey 206-571,767,859 6/1930 Shaffer. 2,823,089 2/1958 Franco 221-63 X 3,392,8257/1968 Gale et al 206-57 X STANLEY vH. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner U.S.Cl. X.R. 221--63

